Dell boosts laptop battery life by two hours with Haswell

Dell has revealed its new PC line-up — including a revamped XPS 12 laptop / tablet hybrid which it says has significantly improved battery life, as well as an improved screen for its XPS 27 all-in-one PC.

Can Haswell save the PC?

The revamped machine is available with an Intel Haswell Core i5 or i7 processor, with up to 8GB of memory and up to 256GB of SSD storage.

The new machine's 50Wh battery and more efficient Haswell processor enabled a new XPS with a Intel Core i5-4200U to run Mobile Mark 2012 for eight hours and 43 minutes, more than two hours longer than a previous XPS model, according to Dell.

A new XPS 12 with an Intel Core i7 4500U processor also delivered 1.6 times the performance of a previous generation XPS machine with an Intel Core i7 3517U processor in 3DMark 2011, Dell claims. The new XPS will ship from next Thursday and is priced from $1099.

Also revealed was the new XPS 27 all-in-one PC. The new machine will ship with a quad-core i5 or i7 processor based on Intel's new Haswell architecture, with integrated HD4600 graphics.

While the resolution of the new XPS 27's screen remains the same, 2560 x 1440, the screen features new Adobe RGB technology that broadens the spectrum of colours it can display to an sRGB rating of 99 percent and increases its brightness rating by 50 nits to 350.

The Dell XPS27. Photo: Dell

Other improvements include a dual-hinge articulated stand, four USB 3.0 ports, a Thunderbolt/ mini-HD port and integrated HD webcam. The machine is priced at $1599.99 and is available from today.

Also announced was the Latitude E6540 laptop aimed at security conscious users. The machine features a FIPS 140-2 certified TPM and Dell Data Protection, which includes file-level encryption, authentication and malware protection.

Another new machine is the OptiPlex 9200, an Intel Haswell processor based machine that includes Intel vPro hardware-based security. The machine is available in four form factors, including an all-in-one.

The OptiPlex 9020 can use the Dell Cloud Desktop feature, a desktop and application virtualisation technology powered by Dell Wyse WSM.

Dell also launched a 21.5-inch monitor, the Touch Monitor S2240T. The HD touchscreen monitor sits on a flexible stand but can also be mounted on a wall or on a Dell single monitor arm. The screen is available today for $399.99.

Two new Dell multifunction printers, the B1165nfw and B1265dfw, were also unveiled.

The Latitude E6540 laptop, OptiPlex 9020 desktops, and multifunction printers will be available in the coming weeks.